THE DAIRY QUESTION — OLD ST^LE. 237 



some such little tid-bit, fed to them after the evening milk- 

 ing is over. 



Let every settler who is annoyed by his cows keeping 

 late hours try this plan, and emphasize it by placing here 

 and there in the pen small boxes containing coarse or rock 

 salt, and he will have no further occasion to complain of 

 his cows ; we have tried it, and know whereof we write. 



It is really wonderful how marked is the effect of such a 

 simple mode of treatment. We have known two neigh- 

 bors living side by side, the one never fed his cows at all, 

 and each afternoon toward dusk was obliged to mount his 

 horse and search the woods for several miles around, utter- 

 ing the while the peculiar " cow^-call," which each man 

 varies to suit himself, the several herds soon learning the 

 particular call to which they owe fealty. This our neigh- 

 bor had to do each afternoon, no matter how inconvenient 

 it might be — either this, or else to wait the voluntary re- 

 turn of his cows, and be prepared to milk them at any 

 hour they might choose betw^een early eyeuing and dawn. 

 The other neighbor fed his cow^s after the evening milking 

 was over, only a mere handful of green or cured fodder, 

 and this was enough to bring them home regul^i'ly before 

 dark; never once was he obliged to seek them; not only 

 so, but this extra feed, meager as it was, made a marked 

 difference in the yield of milk. 



Moral : It pays w^ell to feed one's cows at night, be it 

 ever so little. 



It is curious how these same uneducated Florida cows 

 show' their knowledge as to the proper time for them to be 

 turned out into the hammock- world w^ith their offspring 

 at their side ; whether it be the diminishing supply of ten- 

 der grass, the shortening days, the cooler weather, or some 

 mysterious internal instinct, certain it is that they do know, 

 and if their calves are not in due time set at liberty to 



